In the past, and always in the few months prior to the opening of school in September of each year, there has always been much talk about the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), formerly, the Common Entrance Examination. Many are in support of it and deem it the most fair and only means of placing students in the limited places available in our secondary-school system.

Others think the contrary, and would urge the Government to have a 'free-flow system', as is the generally the case in most North American schools. Students just continue along the learning experience, from kindergarten to grade 12, without any special placement tests to determine whether they go to high school, or some perceived inferior secondary school, as obtains in Jamaica today.

In this North American method, the bright students are placed with the not-so-bright students, in terms of learning needs, knowledge and abilities. In short, all students, irrespective of background, are juxtaposed in a 'fittest of the fittest survival' ambience. The only constraints are the residential locations of students in respect of the relative geographical locations of the secondary institutions.

Along with many others associated with education, I am beginning to conclude that a combination of the latter mode and the current way of placing our Jamaican students might be the best compromise for Jamaica, under the circumstances.

In addition, an end to this system would mean an end to the unfair comparisons made in high-school performance. The students would be aligned to the high school nearest to them, irrespective of scores acquired in GSAT.

It is my recommendation that all secondary schools be brought to the same level in terms of teaching faci-lities and offerings of the curriculum. I make this appeal on behalf of the thousands of Jamaica's children today who have perceived themselves as failures because of the Common Entrance Examination, and now the Grade Six Achievement Test.

specialist training

The irony with all of this is that most of the traditional high schools are now a mere glimmer of what they were in the 1970s, '80s, and even the previous years. This is, in terms of qualification of teachers, availability of specialists, etc., even though the same old thinking persists on the part of many.

There is an erroneous view that the traditional schools are significantly better for our children than the later-converted new-secondary schools to high schools.

But what per cent of the staff of these traditional schools is currently qualified in the subject areas they teach, in the areas of say, science, mathematics, English, and so on? They may even possess a master's degree, but not in the areas in which they are asked to teach. In a few cases, there are a few traditional high-school teachers without a degree, or any specialist training. They also lack the basic qualifications to teach in the areas which they are asked to teach. So then, why is there so much pressure on students and teachers to get students to a level that GSAT's results would get them into these traditional institutions?

Part of this is due to the fact that parents and the society, in general, are unaware of the changes that have occurred in the system - and for the worse - during the past several years. There is the false perception that the quality of traditional high schools is significantly better than that of the new class of schools. The other reason is that those of us who have attended traditional high schools don't want to believe that our high schools are not so different from the ordinary secondary schools in the inner city, or whatever name that might be used to describe these schools today. We want to cherish the notion of academic superiority over others. It's a psychological thing!

common curriculum

I, therefore, recommend to the current Government, via the well-read Gleaner, that first, all secondary-level schools be provided a common curriculum and the same basic teaching aids and materials. For example, if computer science is offered at say, St George's College, it should also be offered at say, Papine High School. Teachers offering these courses should be qualified to do so.

Second, the GSAT should only be used as a means of assessing the attainment of knowledge and skills of pupils moving on to high schools. The detailed results should be forwarded to the schools to which the students will be admitted. The high-school teachers could, therefore, use this information as diagnostic tools to enhance the pupils' learning. The percentage score in the exam should have absolutely nothing to do with where pupils are placed in high schools in this new approach, as all schools would now have the same material resources and personnel, under this new recommended system.

I am, etc.,

JOSHUA SPENCER

joshuaspencer@rogers.com

Toronto, Canada